(EZ Rock’s Stew Kernan joins the Wolves on Parliament Hill in Ottawa)

By Stew Kernan

The Wolves have started their preparations to face the powerful Barrie Colts in the first round of the OHL playoffs.

Game 1 of the series goes Thursday night in Barrie with a return to Sudbury for Game 2 on Saturday night.

The local juniors played Barrie tough all year but went just 1-5-1-1 in eight regular season meetings.

(The Wolves, M-P Glen Thibeault and EZ Rock’s Stew Kernan)

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By Stew Kernan

The Nickel District Conservation Authority is advising everyone to use extreme caution when it comes to area rivers, creeks and lakes.

With the warm temperatures and very little precipitation the last two weeks, a significant amount of snowpack has melted and entered the watercourses.

No major problems are expected, but residents living near creeks and rivers, especially Junction and Whitson Creeks will notice rising water levels.

Residents are also advised to be aware that ice cover is starting to break-up in most areas. 

Information is still being gathered on the conditions in the northern part of the watershed as it relates to the Wanapitei, Vermillion and Onaping Rivers.

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By Angela Gemmill 

Sudbury Regional Hospital is getting a financial boost from the province to help with the transition to its one-site facility.

The 10.7 million dollars is through the Post Construction Operating Plan and will become part of the base operating funding year after year.

Board Chair Carol Hartman says the news means the hospital will be better equipped with staff and enhanced services to offer improved patient care.

She says it will go to enhance services, additional supplies and support staff -it forms part of the day-to-day operating budget.

The Northeast Local Health Integration Network and the hospital determined how much it would cost to operate the hospital on a yearly basis, but there was an increase of 10.7 million dollars, so the LHIN went to the Ministry of Health to state the case.

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By Stew Kernan 

The Sudbury and District Labour Council is re-affirming it’s support for striking Steelworkers.

President John Closs says they are standing in solidarity with their brothers and sisters as their struggle for a fair deal enters its ninth month.

Closs says it’s simply not right that Vale Inco is trying to rip this community apart.

The Labor Council is encouraging it’s 13,000 members to take part in a Steelworkers rally being held at the Paris Street Bridge next Monday.

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By Angela Gemmill 

It’s been six weeks since the new distracted driving law came into effect in Ontario and police say there are still some who use their cell phones while behind the wheel.

OPP Inspector Mark Andrews with the Northeast Traffic & Marine Unit says drivers had three months last fall to educate themselves and now officers are handing out tickets.

The number of drivers charged is somewhat lower in the North compared to Southern and Eastern portion of the province.

Andrews says that’s because we have less traffic flow and major cities in our region are policed by municipal forces and is not under OPP jurisdiction.

The legislation is meant to reduce the number of collisions caused by driver distraction and comes with a 155-dollar fine.

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By Angela Gemmill 

The driver involved in a collision that sent a teenage pedestrian to hospital has not been charged.

Instead, Sudbury Police say the 23-year-old male driver received a 3-day suspension after blowing a warning on a roadside screening.

The 15-year-old victim was struck by a southbound car Saturday morning along Notre Dame Avenue.

He’s be sent to Ottawa hospital with life-threatening injuries.

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By Angela Gemmill

Sudbury’s Paralympian Jeff Dickson is getting some help from the province.

The 45-year-old Alpine skier -who is currently at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver will get 36-hundred dollars through the Quest For Gold program.

The funding is meant to help athletes access training and competitive opportunities.

Today Dickson will compete in his first competition at the games: Men’s Slalom -standing.

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By Angela Gemmill  

In 6-hours the Easter Seals telethon in Northern Ontario was able to raise 423-thousand dollars.

This was the first year the program was broadcast on East Link Cable 10.

700 children will benefit through proceeds which help buy mobility and communication equipment or send kids to summer camp.

All money raised in the North stays in the North.

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By Gary Beech

A local couple is one step closer to the grand prize in America’s Funniest Home Video.

Rhonda and Brendan Adair of Lively were in L-A in January to shoot the  episode which aired last night and they won 10-thousand dollars.

In the video the Adair’s 9-month old son Keegan dances with a doll.

They had to keep the win secret from their family for six weeks.

The Adairs and their son, who is now 21-months old, will be back again next week for the 100-thousand dollar show.

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By Angela Gemmill 

Police are hoping witnesses can help them find a suspect involved in a robbery at the Pinto store on Eyre Street just before 11 last night.

A white male, five foot six with a medium build, who was around 30 years of age, told the clerk he had a weapon and demanded money.

He took off on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.

No one was hurt.

The suspect was dressed all in black, including a black balaclava.

Anyone with information should call Sudbury Police or Crime Stoppers.

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